I Never Really Noticed That Before
The bell above the door rang out like a bluebird as Apple Bloom walked into Sugarcube Corner. She inhaled deeply as the scent of baked goods and some of Twist's candies filled her nose. Twist. Her heart ached at the thought of her once-friend.
Right on cue, Twist headed through the door separating the kitchen and the actual Corner, balancing a tray of peppermint sticks on her nose. The tray clattered to the ground as she caught sight of Apple Bloom, hot candies falling around her hooves. She didn't seem to notice.
"Apple Bloom-"
"Ah'm sorry, alright?! It was stupid of me to ditch you soon as you got your mark, stupid to just abandon mah only friend back then, stupid and I'm sorry and ah've come to apologize." She sucked in a breath and lowered her head, waiting for Twist's response.
"It'th okay."
"Huh?" She looked up to see the filly smiling.
"I said, it'th okay. It would be thtupid of me to hold a grudge when you didn't tho much ditch me ath we both pushed each other to the side. That happenth, and it'th okay. This ith as good a time ath any to make up." She grinned. "It would be nicth if you could help me make a fresh batch of peppermint thtickth, though."
Apple Bloom perked up. "Okay."
They both headed into the kitchen, which was bathed in shades of cream and yellow as the late afternoon light streamed in. Twist hopped up on a stool and got a few items out of the cupboard. She then poured varying amounts of each into a pan and swirled them around until it was distinctly red and white, and smelled of mint.
"Juth have to let that cook for a bit, then we have to let it cool enough so we can mold it eathy." Twist smiled at her handiwork. Apple Bloom just stared.
"How do you do that so easily?"
"I make them a lot. It'th fun, and I'm good at it. They're altho a great gift." The last part she whispered, winking. Apple Bloom was just confused.
"Thpeaking of talentth, what'd you get your mark for?" Twist gestured to Apple Bloom's flank, on which resided a screwdriver and pencil crossed akimbo.
"Oh, ah got it for construction. Construction an' repairs. Ah fix stuff up around the farm, and ah make a few bits on the side repairin' things for other ponies."
"That'th pretty cool. You've alwayth been good at that, remember when you fixed my glathes?"
"Yeah."
They both fell silent as Twist worked. Apple Bloom couldn't help but notice the rather nice curves Twist had acquired by adolescence, and the way her curls fell around her shoulders almost like Sweetie Belle's. She blushed.
Twist turned off the stove and blew on the minty mixture, fishing it out with a spoon. "Now we have to flatten it out, and then we can twist 'em up. Come up here."
Apple Bloom hopped up on the stool next to Twist, helping to flatten out the mass of peppermint. They briefly paused when Twist put her hoof on top of Apple Bloom's, but other than that they didn't take pause until they had a flat sheet of red and white. Next they cut off sections of it and rolled them into peppermint twists, curling the tops so they looked like canes.
"Now we thtick them back in the oven for a few minutes, and we're done!" Twist smiled victoriously at the oven. "AB, can you get it open for me?"
Apple Bloom tugged the large oven open, and Twist pushed in the tray of candy canes. They both pushed it shut with a sigh.
Twist is pretty cute when she's happy, Apple Bloom thought as Twist stared at the ceiling, victory evident on her cream-colored face. Apple Bloom had always admired Twist for her bravery, her ability to keep her chin up even when Diamond and Silver were at their worst. She had never cared about whether or not she had a cutie mark.
All she ever wanted was my friendship. That's all she ever cared about, all she had back when neither of us had our marks, and ah took it away. She stole a guilty glance at Twist, who quickly looked away. Ah think ah know what ah'm giving her as an apology.
"Hey, the peppermint thticks are ready." Twist nudged Apple Bloom, who jumped. She pulled the oven open again. Twist fished out the tray with remarkable grace, and set it on the counter. They both admired their trophy as cool air returned from the oven's wake.
Apple Bloom pushed two of the peppermint treats together, so they made a heart. She shared a meaningful glance with Twist.
"My cutie mark...." the cream filly murmured softly. "Um...Apple Bloom...."
"What is it?"
"I've alwayth....kinda liked you. You're tho determined, such a natural leader. You're the kind of filly who could be one of the popular girlth, but never bothered, because you didn't care. I've alwayth crushed on you for that." She giggled.
Both fillies' cheeks turned a rosy hue. For a few more seconds, they could be "just friends". Then Twist knocked them both off the stool. Apple Bloom landed on top of Twist, who had landed right-side up. Rosy hues became burning red.
"I'm thorry, I'm thorry, I'm tho thorry, it was an accident-" A yellow hoof silenced Twist.
"Twist, mah sister can lie better than you." Apple Bloom laughed, slowly inching closer, her breath light and hot on Twist's face.
"I can exthplain..." Twist trailed off as she noticed what Apple Bloom meant to do.
"But ya want me now." Their lips met.
Twist's lips tasted like mint, which wasn't really a surprise. Ah kinda wonder what mah lips taste like. Being the Southern lady she was, Apple Bloom waited for an invite before poking her tongue into Twist's mouth, teasing first, then tasting, swapping spit. Twist tentatively returned the favor, and Apple Bloom could tell she'd never kissed before. A few minutes of this and they both resurfaced, tugging in a breath.
"That....wath...interething." Twist smiled at Apple Bloom, who wore the grin of a scheming cat.
"Ah'd be a fool to not give this a chance, Twist." Apple Bloom pulled her into another quick kiss. "Now how about some of these peppermint sticks?"
"With pleasure." They both climbed back up on the stool.
To somepony looking in, it was two friends enjoying treats they made together.
But to the two ponies in the room, it was so much more.
